High-speed personalization machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a high-speed personalization machine comprising a personalization station for personalizable documents and a computer system, the machine being characterized in that a personalizable document comprises information, whether visible or not corresponding to an identification, an electronic chip and contactless communication means of transmitting/receiving antenna type connected to the electronic chip, the electronic chip and the communication means being incorporated in the document, and in that the personalization machine comprises a reading device to read the document identifier, this identifier being associated with data memorized in a database of the computer system, at least some of this data to be recorded by the personalization machine into the electronic chip of the document.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a high-speed personalization machine,more particularly a personalization machine for documents, such aspassports, containing an electronic chip.

2. Related Art

Personalization machines are known for portable items such as chip cardsand in particular so-called “smart” cards, i.e. which incorporate amicroprocessor or microcomputer. With these machines it is possible torecord information derived from a computer system into the memory of acard microprocessor, the chip card before personalization being blankwithout any marking and not being pre-selected. After personalization,the machine conducts a follow-up operation of the personalized card toprint or mark the card plastic with detector information. These chipcards communicate with the outside world via contact or contactlessterminals depending upon applications requiring greater or lessersecurity. However, these high speed personalization machines do notallow personalization of electronic chips incorporated in an identitydocument such as a passport, whose personalization information isdirectly related to masked or printed information already contained inthe document. In this case, the personalization machine must conduct anidentification operation of the item incorporating the electronic chipbefore personalization to avoid any writing error of personalizationdata in an electronic chip not corresponding to the content of thedocument in which the chip is inserted.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One object of the present invention is to overcome some disadvantages ofthe prior art, by proposing a high-speed personalization machine forelectronic chips integrated in a document carrying informationpreviously marked on the document, such as a passport.

This first objective is achieved with a high-speed personalizationmachine comprising a device for personalizable documents and a computersystem, the machine being characterized in that a personalizabledocument comprises information whether visible or not corresponding toan identification, an electronic chip and a contactless communicationmeans of transmitting/receiving antenna type connected to the electronicchip, the electronic chip and the communication means being incorporatedin the document and the personalization machine comprising a readingdevice to read the document identifier, this identifier being associatedwith data memorized in a database of the computer system, at least someof this data being recorded by the personalization machine into theelectronic chip of the document.

According to one particularity, the electronic chip comprises anintegrated circuit containing at least one memory.

According to one particularity, the document identifier is a printeddata item of bar code, punched or magnetic type or a sequence of OCR orOCV characters.

According to one particularity, the document identifier is apre-memorized data in the document's electronic chip, such as the serialnumber of the electronic chip.

According to one particularity, the document is a document of passporttype comprising several pages, the electronic chip and communicationmeans being incorporated together either in the document cover, orbetween the pages of the document.

According to one particularity, the document is a document of passporttype comprising several pages, the identifier being marked on one of theoutside or inside surfaces of the document cover or on one of the pagesof the document.

According to one particularity, the personalization station comprises aplurality of personalization devices in which the personalizationdocuments are loaded, and one or more electronic cards connected to oneor more personalization devices, a personalization device comprising afixed plate on which the document is held and a contactlesscommunication means such as a transmitting/receiving antenna tocommunicate with the contactless communication means of the document,the antenna being associated with an electronic card allowing thepersonalization of each document, the electronic card being incommunication with the computer system which manages the personalizationdata.

According to one particularity, in the high-speed personalizationmachine the holding of the document in the personalization device isensured by pinching the document between the fixed plate and a head.

According to one particularity, the contactless communication means ofthe personalisation device is arranged in the head.

According to one particularity the contactless communication means ofthe personalization device is arranged in the fixed plate.

According to one particularity, each electronic card comprises aninterface circuit with one or more contactless communication meansconnected via a bus to a microprocessor which executes a personalizationprogramme.

According to one particularity, the computer system is connected to thereading device of the document identifier, the reading device comprisingtransmission means to transmit the identifier towards the computersystem, which is coupled to a database, the computer system comprisingmeans for extracting personalization data from the database andcommunicating them to the electronic card of the personalization devicein which the document is to be inserted, and for sending this data tothe electronic card, the electronic card comprising means fortransmitting the received personalization data towards the memory of theelectronic chip.

According to one particularity, the bus of each electronic card isnetworked by an interface connected via a connector to the computersystem, the computer system comprising a follow-up means to track theposition of the electronic cards connected to the personalizationdevices and for addressing the electronic cards corresponding to thepersonalization device arriving at the loading position or which hasjust left the loading position.

According to one particularity, the reading device is an opticalcharacter recognition device which can read a visible printed identifierof the document, the computer system using this identifier to search thepersonalization data in its data base.

According to one particularity, the reading device comprises a pageturning element to turn the pages of the document and holding thesepages open at the page in which the identifier is recorded.

According to one particularity, the reading device is a magnetic orelectromagnetic reading device allowing reading of the magneticidentifier of the document, the computer system using this identifier tosearch personalization data in its data base.

According to one particularity, the reading device is a printed circuitreading device comprising a contactless communication means allowing toread an identifier which is pre-memorized in the memory of theelectronic chip of the document, the computer system using this numberto search for personalization data in its data base.

According to one particularity, the reading device of thepersonalization machine is separate from the personalization station andis arranged before the personalization station.

According to one particularity, each electronic card comprises aconnector connected to a contactless communication means of thepersonalization devices, the reading device to read the pre-memorizedidentifier in the memory of the document's electronic chip beingrealised by the contactless communication means associated with themicroprocessor of the electronic card comprising the personalizabledocument.

According to one particularity, an optical or magnetic reading device isarranged in the head of each personalization device so that it ispositioned facing a visible identifier of a document, which is loaded ina personalization device.

According to one particularity, the personalization machine comprisessequence command and personalization management means.

According to one particularity, the high-speed personalization machinecomprises a transfer device for personalizable documents which comprisesa transfer path on which grasping means for documents are mounted, thegrasping means being mounted at regular intervals in pairs, the maximumdistance between two consecutive grasping means enabling the holding ofa document.

According to one particularity, the personalization station comprises arevolving plate comprising a plurality of personalization devicespresented in loading position, transversely and sequentially to thetransfer path of the transfer device, the revolving plate comprising aloading/unloading device which unloads a personalized document from apersonalization device positioned on the loading/unloading device ontothe transfer device for documents and loads a new document from thetransfer device towards the personalization device, the maximumpersonalization time corresponding to one turn of the revolving plate.

According to one particularity, the personalization station comprises anelevator including a plurality of personalization devices arrangedlinear and juxtaposed fashion in the elevator, the elevator comprising aloading/unloading device which unloads a personalized document from apersonalization device positioned on the loading/unloading device ontothe transfer device for documents and loads a new document from thetransfer device onto the personalization device, the maximumpersonalization time corresponding to a complete translation cycle ofthe elevator.

According to one particularity, the axis of the elevator is arrangedperpendicular to and facing the transfer path of the transfer device,the movement of the elevator being made by vertical translation.

According to one particularity, the axis of the elevator is arrangedparallel to and facing the transfer path of the transfer device, themovement of the elevator being made by horizontal translation.

According to one particularity, the high-speed personalization machinecomprises a document unstacking device at the input of the machine and astacking device at the output of the machine.

According to one particularity, the high-speed personalization machinecan be incorporated in a passport fabrication and/or pre-personalizationmachine, the computer system of the personalization machine alsomanaging the fabrication and/or pre-personalization of passports.

A further object of the invention consists of a personalization processconducted by a personalization machine comprising a personalizationdevice for a personalizable document and a computer system comprising adatabase, the personalizable document comprising an identifier, anelectronic chip and a contactless communication means, thepersonalization process being characterized in that it comprises thefollowing steps:

-   -   a first reading and transmission step to read the document        identifier with a reading device and to transmit the read        information to the computer system,    -   a second search step to search personalization data in a        database of the computer system in relation to the document        identifier,    -   a third data transmission and recording step to transmit and        record the data into a memory of the document electronic chip,        with optional recording of the identifier in the chip memory.

According to one particularity, the third step is made by a loading stepto load personalization data relative to the document identifier into amemory of the electronic card associated with the document-holderdevice, and a communication step to communicate this personalizationdata to the electronic chip of the document via contactlesscommunication means to record this data into the memory of theelectronic chip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other particularities and advantages of the present invention will bemore readily understood by reading the following description made withreference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front elevation view of the personalization machineaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2A shows front elevation view of a part of the personalizationmachine and of the personalization station according to a firstembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2B shows a front elevation view of a part of the personalizationmachine and of the personalization station according to a secondembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the insertion station placingportable items in the personalization plate according to one embodimentof the present invention,

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the diagram of the electronic circuit card ofpersonalization devices necessary for contactless personalization of adocument according to two embodiments respectively,

FIG. 4C shows the diagram of the electronic circuit card of thepersonalization devices necessary for contactless personalization of adocument according to a third embodiment,

FIG. 5 shows a profile view of the personalization plate associated witha lever system according to one embodiment of the present invention,

FIGS. 6A and 6B show overhead and inside views of a document accordingto two embodiments of the present invention,

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a logic schematic of the personalization processaccording to the two embodiments of FIG. 4A or 4B and 4C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The invention, which will now be described in connection with FIGS. 1 to7, allows personalization of portable items 4 such as documentshereinafter called passports, each one comprising an electronic chip 41,a contactless communication means 42, such as a transmitting/receivingantenna, associated with the electronic chip, and data whether visibleor not, for example a label 40 corresponding to an identification. Thelabel to be identified may be arranged on the outer surface (FIG. 6A) orinner surface of the cover of the document 4, or may also be arranged onone of the pages of the document (FIG. 6B). The identifier of the label40 may be a bar code, a punch, a redundancy, a code formed of OCR or OCVtype characters printed on or in the document, or a magnetic elementrepresenting an identification number related to the passport 4. Theelectronic chip 41 and communication means 42 is inserted togethereither in the cover of the passport 4 or between several pages of thepassport. The electronic chip comprises a memory which may be eithertotally blank or be previously pre-personalized upstream on a precedingmachine and already contain pre-personalization data such as a serialnumber for example. This pre-personalization data may be considered asthe passport identification data, the label not being present on thedocument in this case. After personalizing the chip on thepersonalization machine of the invention, the chip memory containspersonalization data relative to the information indicated in thepassport. For example, this information may be the date of validity andthe place of issuance of the passport, information on the passport usersuch as the date and place of birth of the user, his/her biometric data.Evidently, the present invention allows the personalization of any otherdocument 4 comprising an identifier 40 and an electronic chip 41 such aspreviously described. The personalization is made with passports 4comprising electronic chips 41 with so-called “integrated circuit” 41,whose integrated circuit is connected to the outside world via atransmitting/receiving antenna. In this case, the chip is so-called“contactless” and communicates via hertz waves with another antennaconnected to the personalization machine. Therefore, the personalizationmachine, through use of the antenna, may personalize without contactelectronic chips 41 of passports 4.

With reference to FIG. 1, the invention chiefly comprises a readingdevice 5 to read the passport identifier and a personalization device 2for the chip inserted in this same passport, the reading device 5 andthe personalization device 2 both being connected to a computer systemcomprising a database in which the personalization data is stored. Theinformation read by the reading device 5 enables the computer system torecover personalization data relative to the information in the databaseand to transmit them to the personalization device, which willcommunicate this personalization data into the memory of the electronicchip inserted in the passport. Several embodiments are presented belowdescribing a personalization machine comprising at least the technicalcharacteristics just described.

According to a first embodiment, the invention consists of a table 1mounted on legs 10, on the top of a which transport means are arrangedsuch as a transfer path consisting of a continuous toothed belt 3circulating between two end pulleys 33, 34 of which one is driven by amotor 30. On this endless belt 3, grasping means 31 are mounted in pairsat regular intervals, such as tappets or grippers enabling the passportto be held in horizontal position when being conveyed. The distancebetween two consecutive grasping means 31 corresponds to the length of apassport 4. Each pair of grasping means 31 distanced by the length of apassport lies adjacent to the following pair over a shorter length. Thegrasping means 31 are used to hold the passports 4 when being conveyedover the incoming part of the path represented by the arrow (A) in FIG.3, and to convey them from one station to another. For more details ongrasping means 31 according to one embodiment using tappets and on thetransfer device, reference may be made to European patent application 0589 771 by the same registrant. Grippers 31 according to the secondembodiment of grasping means 31 comprise an opening and closing systemthat is mechanically or computer controlled enabling the pages ofpassport 4 to be held when document 4 is being conveyed along thetransfer path. These grippers prevent the pages from being unduly bent.The control of the opening and closing of the grippers may be made atthe time the documents 4 are distributed on the transfer path, whendocuments 4 are loaded from and unloaded onto the personalizationstation and/or when the documents are evacuated or stored at the end ofpersonalization. According to one variant of the passport holdingembodiment, the passports may be conveyed in vertical position by thegrasping means of the transfer path. In this case, the distance betweentwo consecutive grasping means corresponds either to the length of thedocuments or to the width of the documents depending upon the verticalposition used. The transfer path is completed, as can be seen in FIG. 3,by bearer rails 32 a, 32 b which are discontinued at theloading/unloading station to allow passing of the personalizationdevices 22 i interdependent with a personalization station 20 as will beseen below.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2A, the table comprises an unstackingdevice 11 which, from a batch of passports, distributes passports 4 andinserts them one by one between each pair of grasping means 31. In thepassport transfer mode in horizontal position on the transfer path(shown FIG. 1), the unstacking device comprises a vertical magazine inwhich the passports are stacked. In the passport transfer mode invertical position on the transfer path (not shown) the unstacking devicecomprises a horizontal magazine in which the passports are placed sideby side. Also the unstacking device 11 may comprise a double inputmagazine enabling the uninterrupted supply of the machine, thechangeover of magazines being conducted during masked time. Eachmagazine is removable having a content for example of 500 passports. Thepassports 4 inserted in the transfer path are brought face to thepassport identifier reading device called the reading station 5 in theremainder of the description. This reading station 5 enables the readingand decoding of the identifier written on the label 40 of passports 4.In one embodiment in which the passport label is magnetic, the readingstation is a magnetic reader. In an embodiment in which the labelcomprises a bar code or punches or a code with OCR or OCV characters,the reading station comprises an optical camera to decode the labelmarkings. In an embodiment in which the writing of OCR or OCV charactertype are written into one of the pages of the document, the readingstation comprises a device enabling the passport pages to be turnedautomatically and held them open at the desired page during reading.Generally, the reading station is connected to a computer system 6comprising a database 60. The computer system 6 performs the linkbetween reading of the identifier, the search for personalization datacorresponding to this identifier in the database, and the recording ofdata into the memory of the electronic chip associated with theidentifier. For this purpose, the computer system 6 conducts apersonalization process explained in the remainder of the description.After reading the identifier 40 of passports 4, the passports 4 aretransferred from the reading station 5 to the personalization station 2.The transfer between the two stations may be made in securitized mannerso that the passport 4 cannot be substituted before personalization ofthe electronic chips 41. A minimum transfer pitch on the transfer path 3is preferable to minimize the time lapse between reading of theidentifier 40 and writing of the information in the electronic chip 41of passport 4. To securitize the system, the embodiment of the graspingmeans 31 with grippers is preferred to prevent any fraud, the passports4 being held by the grippers during the transfer from the readingstation 5 to the personalization station 2. The personalization station2, according to an embodiment shown FIG. 2A, comprises a revolving plateor drum 20 whose rotation axis is horizontal and perpendicular to theplatform of table 1. The revolving plate bears relative to the transferpath so that the plate 20 faces the transfer path in the direction shownby arrow A. This revolving plate 20 carries on its periphery a pluralityof personalization devices 22 i, 22 n so that each personalizationdevice 22 i, 22 n may insert itself in the pathway of the passportsbetween guide rail 32 a for arriving passports and guide rail 32 b foroutgoing passports leaving the personalization system formed byrevolving plate 20. According to a transfer mode of the passports inhorizontal position (shown FIG. 3), the personalization devices presentthemselves parallel to the transfer path.

According to a passport transfer mode in vertical position (not shown)the personalization devices present themselves perpendicular to thetransfer path. In all cases, the personalization devices 22 i are ofslightly smaller size than the passports 4 and have a space betweentheir outer edge and the toothed belt 3. A jack device for example canbe used to correctly position each passport once it has been broughtbetween the two elements of the personalization device 22 i bearing uponreference surfaces 2270 of the fixed part 227 of the personalizationdevice. Each personalization device 22 i for one passport 4 comprises afixed plate 227 interdependent with revolving plate 20, and a guidecolumn 223 interdependent with plate 20 to guide a mobile element 221supporting a head 224. As shown FIG. 4A, each head 224 is innon-conductor material, such as a plastic material, and comprises acontactless communication means such as a transmitting and receivingantenna 225 electrically connected to a connector 2241 which ensures theconnection between a layer of wires 217 connected by another connector216 to an electronic card 21 i for personalization and management ofhead 224. Each personalization device 22 i is connected to apersonalization card 21 i arranged in a rack integral with the revolvingplate 20, a single personalization card possibly being connected toseveral personalization devices. The contactless communication means225′ with transmitting and receiving antenna, according to a variant ofembodiment shown FIG. 4B, may be moulded in the fixed plate 227electrically connected to a connector 2241′ which ensures the connectionwith a layer of wires 217′ connected via another connector 216′ to theelectronic personalization card. A personalization card 21 i comprisesan antenna interface circuit 211′ or 211 arranged between the bus 210 ofthe card and the connector 216 or 216′ connected to the communicationmeans 225, 225′. This antenna interface circuit 211′ or 211 may be ofthe type commercially available from Philips under reference MFCM 200.The bus 210 is also connected to a microprocessor 212 of thepersonalization card which executes the personalization programme of theelectronic chips, said programme being loaded into a memory 213 ofelectronic card 21 i. A single electronic card may manage thepersonalization of several passports at the same time. The power ofpresent-day microprocessors makes it possible for example to considerdialogue with four passports simultaneously, without penalizingperformance level, using only one electronic card. The future will nodoubt bring much greater performance with a minimum of only oneelectronic card for all passports. The microprocessor 212 may manage thepersonalization of several passports inserted in the personalizationdevices 22 i connected to the electronic card 21 i associated withmicroprocessor 212. The memory 213 may optionally be integrated in theprocessor 212 or, as shown FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, may be connected to itby the bus 210. The memory also comprises a free space to storepersonalization data of the passport to be personalized. Finally, themicroprocessor 212, via bus 210 and connector 214 connected to this bus210, also has a security card whose function is to provide securityinformation necessary for personalizing security applications. Finally,bus 210 of each card is connected by an interface 215 of UART type to abackpanel computer 61. During the personalization phase, the passport isheld pressed between the fixed part 227 and the head 224 interdependentwith the mobile part 221 of the personalization device. The mobile part221 of the personalization device 22 i with one passport is underpermanent prompting in direction of the fixed part 227 via elastic means222 bearing upon a fixed part of the plate 20. An L-shaped lever 228,via its end part 2281, is used to act upon the guide 2210 interdependentwith the head 224 and mobile part 221 to provide sufficient spacebetween head 224 and fixed part 227 to allow passing of the passports 4conveyed by the transfer path and the toothed belt 3 and thereby toensure the loading and unloading of passports 4. With reference to FIG.5, showing a passport transfer mode in horizontal position, the lever228 is actuated to lift the head 224 by a finger 229 interdependent withthe revolving plate 20 arranged opposite each lever 228 associated witheach personalization device 22 i. When a personalization device 22 icomes to position itself at the loading and unloading station ofpassports 4, by inserting itself in the transfer path 3 between theincoming guides 32 a and outgoing guides 32 b, the finger actuatinglever 228 is positioned opposite a jack (or other actuator) 230 whosepiston 231 lifts up the heads. This allows release of the passport 4,then a movement of belt 3 in the direction shown by arrow A FIG. 3causes the personalized passport 4 to be moved forward and at the sametime brings the following passport into the personalization device 22 iwhich has just finished personalization. In the passport transfer modein vertical position (not shown) the lever may be arranged so that itenables head 224 to be moved away from the fixed part 227. In all cases,the personalized passport or one leaving the plate is transported bybelt 3 towards an ejection station 12. This ejection station 12 can beused to redirect the passports 4, for which personalization of theelectronic chip 41 is incomplete or faulty, towards a trap. Faultyelectronic chips 41 of passports 4 redirected in this manner arereplaced by new chips 41 not containing any personalization data, andthe passports 4 are then again placed in the unstacking device 11. Ifpersonalization is successful, passport 4 is transferred towards aconventional stacking device 13 where it is stacked in a double magazinefunctioning along the same principle as the unstacking device 11 but inreverse direction.

The revolving plate 20 may therefore comprise a large number ofpersonalization devices 22 i associated with one electronicpersonalization card 21 i. Each electronic card 21 i manages thepersonalization of the electronic chip 41 of passport 4 inserted bytransfer belt 3 in the personalization device 22 i connected to thepersonalization card 21 i. The plate may therefore comprise 32, 24, 16,12 or 6 personalization devices 22 i for example, connected toelectronic personalization cards 21 i, each of the electronicpersonalization cards being network connected to computer 6 dedicated topersonalization. The link between the rotating onboard system 2 andfixed installation 6 may be ensured by a rotating collector 62. Theconnection is made by fixed contacts interdependent with the fixed partof the machine bearing upon an assembly of rotating tracksinterdependent with the revolving plate. Similarly the power supplies,necessary for the functioning of the equipment onboard the revolvingplate are made via fixed contacts bearing upon the supply tracks. Therevolving plate may perform a rotation in continuous manner and at eachrotation pitch present a personalization device so that it faces thetransfer path. According to a more economical variant of embodiment, thelink between the rotating onboard system and the fixed installation maybe ensured by a flexible connector such as coiled conductor layer. Oneend of the conductor layer is connected to the fixed installation, theother end is connected to the rotating axis of the revolving plate. Inthis embodiment, the revolving plate carries out alternate rotation,first in one direction then in the other. In this case thepersonalization devices may arrive in intercalation to optimisepersonalization of passports. For example, in one direction one out ofevery two personalization devices may stop at the loading and unloadingstation of the personalization station, and in the other direction it isthe complementary devices that stop.

The computer system 6 connected to the personalization station comprisesthe management software for personalization of the electronic chips 41of passports 4. This computer 6 is also connected to the reading station5 to recover the identifier read on the label 40 of a passport 4 beforepersonalization, or the identifier written into one of the inside pagesof the passport. FIG. 7A shows the personalization process according toan embodiment conducted by the computer system 6. A first step 600consists of reading the identifier 41 of document 4 via the optical ormagnetic reading device 5 arranged before the personalization stationand of transferring this information to the computer system. A secondstep 601 consists of searching the personalization data related to saididentifier in the database of the computer system, the computer systemcomprising a means for extracting data from the database and forcommunicating them to an electronic card 21 i. A third step 602concomitant with step two 601 consists of identifying thepersonalization device 22 i arriving at the loading/unloading stationwhich will load and personalize the document whose identifier has justbeen read. The identification may be associated with an addresscorresponding to each personalization device 22 i. A fourth step 603consists of transmitting the personalization data from the database tothe memory of the electronic card connected to the identifiedpersonalization device. A fifth step 604, once the document is loaded inpersonalization device 22 i, consists of recording the personalizationdata memorized in the electronic card's memory into the memory of theelectronic chip 41 of loaded document 4 via contactless communicationmeans 2243, 42 of personalization device 22 i and document 4respectively. The electronic card's processor will command writing ofthe data memorized in the card memory into the memory of the electronicchip. One card may be connected to several personalization devices, thecard's processor, in this case, will manage the distribution of datatowards the proper personalization device in which the passport to bepersonalized is to be inserted.

Finally another PC 61 or the computer system itself manages thesequential commanding of the machine and receives data from the variouspositioning devices such as the angular position encoder of plate 20,the various detection devices to ensure that a passport conveyed by belt3 is positioned facing the proper station, and to detect the position ofconnection 3. In the embodiment of grasping means 31 which comprisesgrippers, the opening and closing may be automatically controlled by PC61. The rotation axis of plate 20 is driven by a synchronous motor viatoothed belt transmission. The positions of the personalization devices22 i may be tracked by a coding system not shown.

When in operation, the belt transfer device 3 takes a passport 4 from apersonalization device 22 i arriving at the loading/unloading stationwhose personalization has been completed and places a new passport 4 inthe personalization device 22 i whose position has just been cleared.After inserting the passport, a continuous rotation of a position or analternate rotation of the revolving plate 20 is conducted. Thepersonalization lasts a time period which may correspond to no more thanthe duration of rotation over a complete turn. After a sufficientfraction number of turns of plate 20, the personalized passport 4re-inserts itself in the transfer path between two free grasping means31. Then passport 4 is extracted from personalization device 22 i bymovement of the transfer belt 3 after lifting away head 25 and presser221. When plate 2 comprises an assembly of 32 personalization devicesand with a travel speed from one station to the next in the order of onepassport per second, the machine can achieve a personalization capacityof 3600 passports per hour with a maximum personalization time in theorder of 32 seconds.

In a second embodiment of the personalization machine shown FIG. 4C,each personalization device may comprise an optical or magnetic readingelement 2243. This element may be for example positioned on the head 224arranged facing label 40 of passport 4 and electronically connected to aconnector 2242 which ensures connection with a wire layer 220 connectedby a connector 218 to an electronic card 21 i associated withpersonalization device 22 i. The electronic card 21 i then comprises areading interface 219 located between the connector 218 and the bus 210.In this embodiment, the fixed plate 227 comprises contactlesscommunication means 225′ such as a transmitting/receiving antennamoulded in the plate 227, the communication means 225′ beingelectrically connected to a connector 2241′ which ensures connectionwith a wire layer 217′, connected by a second connector 216′ of the sameelectronic card 21 i. An interface of communication means 211′ isarranged between connector 216′ associated with the communication meansand the bus 210 of electronic card 21 i. The FIG. 7B shows thepersonalization process according to this embodiment, performed by thecomputer system 6. A first step 600′ consists of reading the identifier41 of the document 4 by optical or magnetic or electromagnetic readingdevice 2243 arranged in each personalization device 22 i and oftransferring this information towards the computer system 6 via aninterface 215 and a connector 62. A second step 601′ searches thepersonalization data related to the read identifier, in the database ofthe computer system, the computer system comprising a means forextracting data from the database and communicating them towards anelectronic card 21 i. A third step 602′ consists of transmitting thepersonalization data from the database to the memory of the electroniccard connected to the personalization device containing the document tobe personalized. A fourth step 603′ consists of recording thepersonalization data memorized in the memory of the electronic card intothe memory of the electronic chip 41 of loaded document 4 viacontactless communication means 225′, 42 of the personalization device22 i and the document 4 respectively. The processor of the electroniccard commands writing of the data memorized in the memory of the cardinto the memory of the electronic chip. The personalization programme ofelectronic card 21 i contains instructions, in its algorithm, needed toprovide access, via the bus 210, to the connector 219 which correspondsto the reading element, to carry out reading and redirect theidentification number read on identifier 40 of a passport 4 to thememory 213 of the personalization card 21 i. Followed by instructionsrequired for recovering, in the database of personalization managementcomputer 421 which manages the personalization, the relative dataassociated with the read identification number for their memorization inthe memory 213 of electronic card 21 i. Finally, instructions provideaccess via bus 210 to connector 216′ which corresponds to antenna 225′of fixed plate 227, and write the memorized data in the electronic chip41 of the passport 4. Therefore the personalization programme willcomprise means for selectively addressing and selectively commanding theaddressing of information towards either one of connectors 216′, 218.

In a third embodiment, the personalization machine comprises a readingdevice 5′ to read an identifier pre-memorized in the memory of theelectronic chip 41 integrated in the passport 4. The identifier is alsocalled pre-personalization data such as the serial number of theelectronic chip. The reading station 5′ to read the identifier of thechip 41 replaces the optical or magnetic reading station 5 reading theidentification number of the label 40 of the passport 4. The readingstation 5′ of the chip 41 comprises a contactless communication systemsuch as a transmitting receiving antenna enabling hertz wavecommunication with antenna 42 of the electronic chip 41 of the passport4. This reading station 5′ is connected to the computer system 6managing the personalization of the electronic chips of passports 4. Thepersonalization process of this variant of embodiment is close to thepersonalization process of the personalization machine comprising anoptical or magnetic reading station separate from the personalizationstation shown FIG. 7A. A first step 600 consists of reading thepre-memorized identifier of the electronic chip 41 of the document 4 bythe reading device 5 arranged before the personalization station and oftransferring this information to the computer system. A second step 601searches personalization data related to the read pre-memorizedidentifier in the database of the computer system, the computer systemcomprising means for extracting the data from the database andcommunicating them towards an electronic card 21 i. A third step 602concomitant with step two 601 consists of identifying thepersonalization device 22 i arriving at the loading/unloading stationwhich will load and personalize the document whose pre-memorizedidentifier has just been read. Identification may be associated with anaddress corresponding to each personalization device 22 i. A fourth step603 consists of transmitting the personalization data from the databasetowards the memory of the electronic card connected to the identifiedpersonalization device. A fifth step 604, once the document is loaded inpersonalization device 22 i, consists of recording the personalizationdata memorized in the memory of the electronic card into the memory ofthe electronic chip 41 of the loaded document 4 via contactlesscommunication means 225 or 225′, 42 of the personalization device 22 iand the document 4 respectively. The electronic card's processorcommands writing of data memorized in the card's memory into the memoryof the electronic chip. A verification by the electronic card of theproper identifier of the electronic chip to be personalized may beperformed before writing to avoid any recording errors.

A fourth embodiment may be considered, consisting of inserting thereading of the pre-memorized identifier of the electronic chip directlyusing contactless communication means 225, 225′ connected to apersonalization card 21 i. This embodiment avoids any data writing errorin the memory of the electronic chip integrated in the passport and alsoallows increased the rapidity in personalizing passport chips, therebyeliminating the need to pass through a reading station beforepersonalization.

Any modification within the reach of persons skilled in the art alsocomes within the spirit of the invention. The fact that eachpersonalization card 21 i is onboard revolving plate 20 means that it ispossible to personalize passports 4 at a much faster rate by shorteningtransmission times between the personalization equipment and thepassports 4 to be personalized. Similarly, the transmitting ofpersonalization parameters and the fact that each card 21 i has anonboard personalization programme also improves the machine's yield.Finally the use on each personalization card 21 i of a specificconnector 214, to enable the positioning of a security card 4 sdelivering security information needed for security personalizationoperations, improves the reliability and security of personalizationoperations.

One variant of embodiment, shown FIG. 2B of the personalization stationconsists of a personalization station which is an elevator comprising aplurality of personalization devices 22 a–22 n. In a passport transfermode in horizontal position, the translation axis of the elevator isvertical and perpendicular to the platform of the table 1 so that thepersonalization devices 22 a–22 n are presented perpendicular to thetransfer path oriented in direction of arrow A, and each personalizationdevice 22 a–22 n is able to insert itself in the line of passportsbetween guide rail 32 a for incoming passports and guide rail 32 b forpassports leaving the personalization system. In a passport transfermode in vertical position, the translation axis of the elevator ishorizontal and parallel to the platform of the table 1 so that thepersonalization devices 22 a–22 n are presented parallel to the transferpath oriented along the direction of arrow A and each personalizationdevice 22 a–22 n is able to insert itself in the passport line betweenguide rail 32 a for incoming passports and guide rail 32 b for passportsleaving the personalization system. In both these embodiments, thepersonalization devices 22 a–22 n are identical to the personalizationdevices of the embodiment comprising a revolving plate. Personalizationdevices 22 a–22 n are positioned linear and juxtaposed fashion in theelevator. The elevator also comprises a loading/unloading station fordocuments to be personalized or already personalized. When in operation,the belt transfer device 3 extracts a passport 4 from a personalizationdevice 22 i′ arriving at the loading/unloading station whose documentpersonalization has been completed and inserts a new passport 4 in thepersonalization device 22 i whose position has just been cleared. Afterinserting the passport, the elevator moves either vertically orhorizontally by one pitch to unload and then load a new passport. Whenit arrives at the end of its translation the elevator will perform acomplete reverse translation to position its personalization devicefacing the transfer path. The personalization lasts a minimum time whichmay correspond to the entire duration of translation in one direction sothat it can return to the initial personalization device. In a variantof embodiment the travel cycle of the elevator may be sequential. Forexample, the elevator may move to one out of every two positions in onepitch in one direction of translation and then return in reversedirection to the complementary positions. In all cases, after asufficient fraction number of movements of elevator 20 the personalizedpassport 4 is replaced in the transfer path between two free graspingmeans 31. Then passport 4 is removed from the personalization device 22i by movement of the transfer belt 3 after lifting head 25 and presser221. The different variants of personalization processes are identicalto the variants of personalization processes when the personalizationstation comprises a revolving plate 2.

Another variant of embodiment (not shown) consists of a personalizationstation with a revolving plate whose rotation axis is both horizontaland parallel to the table platform and is also inclined relative to thetransfer path. This revolving plate has a truncated conical section ofwhich one side of the frustum, on account of the incline of the plate'srotation axis, is parallel to the transfer path. The lateral inclinedface of the frustum carries on its periphery a plurality ofpersonalization devices so that each personalization device may insertitself in the path of cards between the guide rail for incoming cardsand the guide rail for outgoing cards leaving the personalizationsystem.

According to a further embodiment (not shown) of the personalizationmachine, the insertion of passports on the transport means may be mademanually.

According to a further embodiment (not shown) of the personalizationmachine, the identifier reading device and the personalization devicemay be integrated in a passport fabrication and/or pre-personalizationmachine. A passport pre-personalization machine inserts text data, photoand/or punches corresponding to the future passport holder. The computersystem connected to the reading device and to the personalization devicemay also be connected to the passport fabrication and/orpre-personalization and printing station (photo, punching, text) therebymanaging the follow-up of print data to be entered into the passport andof personalization data to be memorized in the electronic chip insertedin the passport.

It will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that the presentinvention allows embodiments under numerous other specific forms withoutdeparting from the scope of application of the invention as claimed.Therefore the present embodiments must be considered as illustrative butcan be modified within the area defined by the scope of the appendedclaims, and the invention must not therefore be limited to theafore-described details.

1. A personalization machine comprising: a personalization station forpersonalizing a multi-page personalizable document marked with anidentifier representing identification information and containing anelectronic chip and a contactless communication device with atransmitting/receiving antenna connected to the electronic chip areading device to read the identifier of the document, the readingdevice comprising a page turning device to turn the pages of thedocument opened at the page where the identifier is marked, a transferdevice assuring a secured transfer of the identified document held openby a holding device, from the reading device to the personalizationstation, this identifier being associated with personalization datamemorized in a database of a computer system, at least some of thispersonalization data to being recorded by the personalization stationinto the electronic chip of the identified document.
 2. Apersonalization machine according to claim 1, wherein the electronicchip comprises an integrated circuit containing at least one memory. 3.A personalization machine according to claim 2, wherein thepersonalization station comprises a plurality of personalization devicesin which personalization documents are loaded, and at least one or moreelectronic cards are connected to at least one personalization devicecomprising a fixed plate on which the document is held and a contactlesscommunication device comprising a transmitting/receiving antenna tocommunicate with the contactless communication device of the document,the antenna being associated with an electronic card transmittingpersonalization for each document, the electronic card being incommunication with a computer system which manages the personalizationdata.
 4. A personalization machine according to claim 3, wherein theholding of the document in the personalization device is ensured bypinching the document between the fixed plate and a head.
 5. Apersonalization machine according to claim 4, wherein the contactlesscommunication device is arranged in the head.
 6. A personalizationmachine according to claim 3, wherein the electronic card comprises aninterface circuit with at least one contactless communication device,the interface circuit being connected via a bus to a microprocessorwhich executes a personalization program.
 7. A personalization machineaccording to claim 6, wherein a bus of the electronic card is networkconnected via an interface which is connected by a connector to thecomputer system, the computer system comprising a follow-up means totrack the position of electronic cards connected to personalizationdevices and for addressing the electronic cards corresponding to thepersonalization device arriving at the loading position or which hasjust left the loading position.
 8. A personalization machine accordingto claim 7, wherein the electronic card comprises a connector connectedto a contactless communication device of the personalization device, andwherein the reading device reads a pre-memorized identifier in memory ofthe electronic chip by use of the contactless communication deviceassociated with a microprocessor of an electronic card comprising thepersonalizable document.
 9. A personalization machine according to claim4, wherein the contactless communication device is arranged in the fixedplate.
 10. A personalization machine according to claim 3, wherein thepersonalization station includes a revolving plate comprising aplurality of personalization devices presented in loading position,transversely and sequentially to a transfer path of a transfer device,and wherein the revolving plate comprises a loading/unloading deviceallowing a personalized document to be unloaded from a personalizationdevice positioned on the loading/unloading device onto the documenttransfer device and a new document to be loaded from the transfer devicetowards the personalization device, the maximum personalization timecorresponding to one turn of the revolving plate.
 11. A personalizationmachine according to claim 3, wherein the personalization stationincludes an elevator comprising a plurality of personalization devicesarranged in linear and juxtaposed fashion in the elevator and whereinthe elevator comprises a loading/unloading device allowing apersonalized document to be unloaded from a personalization devicepositioned on the loading/unloading device onto a transfer device fordocuments and a new document to be loaded from the transfer devicetowards the personalization device, the maximum personalization timecorresponding to a complete translation cycle of the elevator.
 12. Apersonalization machine according to claim 11, wherein an axis of theelevator is arranged perpendicular to and facing the transfer path ofthe transfer device, the movement of the elevator being made by verticaltranslation.
 13. A personalization machine according to claim 11,wherein an axis of elevator is arranged parallel to and facing thetransfer path of the transfer device, the movement of the elevator beingmade by horizontal translation.
 14. A personalization machine accordingto claim 1, wherein the identifier of the document is a printed dataitem of bar code, punched or magnetic type or a sequence of OCR or OCVcharacters.
 15. A personalization machine according to claim 1, whereinthe identifier of the document is a data item pre-memorized in theelectronic chip of the document.
 16. A personalization machine accordingto claim 15, wherein the identifier is a serial number of the electronicchip.
 17. A personalization machine according to claim 1, wherein thedocument is a passport document, the electronic chip and thecommunication device being incorporated together either in a documentcover or between the two pages of the document joined side-by-side or onthe surface of a page.
 18. A personalization machine according to claim1, wherein the document is a passport document, the identifier beingmarked on an outside or inside surface of a document cover or on a pageof the document.
 19. A personalization machine according to claim 1,wherein a computer system is connected to the reading device reading theidentifier of the document, the reading device comprising transmissiondevice for transmitting the identifier towards the computer system, thecomputer system comprising means for extracting personalization dataassociated with the identifier from the database and communicating thesepersonalization data to an electronic card associated with thepersonalization device in which the document is to be inserted, and forsending this data from the electronic card, the electronic cardcomprising means for transmitting the received personalization datatowards a memory of the electronic chip.
 20. A personalization machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the reading device is a reading devicewith optical character recognition enabling the reading of a visibleprinted identifier of the document and transmitting optically recognizedinformation to the computer system which uses this information to searchpersonalization data in the database of the computer system.
 21. Apersonalization machine as in claim 20, wherein an optical or magneticreading device is arranged in the head of each personalization device sothat said reading device is positioned facing a visible identifier ofthe document which is loaded in a personalization device.
 22. Apersonalization machine according to claim 1, wherein the reading deviceis a magnetic or electromagnetic reading device allowing reading of themagnetic identifier of the document and transmitting magnetically orelectromagnetically recognized information to the computer system whichuses this information to search personalization data in the database ofthe computer system.
 23. A personalization machine according to claim 1,wherein the reading device is a printed integrated circuit readingdevice comprising a contactless communication device allowing reading ofan identifier that is pre-memorized in the memory of the electronic chipof the document, and transmitting a read number to the computer systemwhich uses this number to search for personalization data in thedatabase of the computer system.
 24. A personalization machine accordingto claim 1, further comprising sequence command and personalizationmanagement means.
 25. A personalization machine according to claim 1,further comprising a transfer device for personalizable documents, whichcomprises a transfer path on which grasping devices for documents aremounted, the grasping devices being mounted at regular intervals inpairs, the maximum distance between two consecutive grasping devicesallowing the holding of a document.
 26. A personalization machineaccording to claim 1, further comprising a document unstacking device atthe output of the machine for incoming documents and a document stackingdevice at the output of the machine.
 27. A personalization machineaccording to claim 1, wherein said computer system manages a passportfabrication machine and/or a pre-personalization machine whichincorporates said personalization machine.
 28. A personalization processperformed by a personalization machine comprising a personalizing devicefor a personalizable document and a computer system including adatabase, the personalizable document comprising an identifier, anelectronic chip and a contactless communication device, the identifierbeing marked on the document, the personalization process beingcomprising: (a) loading the document and controlling a holding device tohold the document open at a selected page (b) reading the documentidentifier with a reading device and transmitting the read informationto the computer system, (c) searching personalization data in a databaseof the computer system related to an identifier of the document during asecured transfer of the document from the reading device to thepersonalizing device, (d) transmitting and recording the personalizationdata into a memory of the electronic chip, with optional recording ofthe identifier into a chip memory.
 29. A personalization processaccording to claim 28, characterized in that the third step is made bywherein step (d) comprises loading personalization data relative to thedocument identifier into a memory of the electronic card associated withthe personalizing device, and step then communicating thispersonalization data to the electronic chip of the document via acontactless communication device to record this personalization datainto the memory of the electronic chip.
 30. A personalization processaccording to claim 28, wherein step (b) comprises turning document pagesto a selected page.
 31. A personalization machine comprising: apersonalization station for personalizable documents and computersystem, wherein each personalizable document comprises an identifierrepresenting identification information, an electronic chip and acontactless communication device comprising a transmitting/receivingantenna connected to the electronic chip, the electronic chip and thecommunication device being incorporated in the document, a readingdevice to read the identifier of the document, this identifier beingassociated with personalization data memorized in a database of thecomputer system, the personalization station including a plurality ofpersonalization devices in which the personalization documents areloaded, and one or more electronic cards connected to one or morepersonalization devices, a personalization device comprising a fixedplate on which the document is held and a contactless communicationdevice comprising a transmitting/receiving antenna to communicate withthe contactless communication device of the document, the antenna beingassociated with one of said electronic cards transmitting thepersonalization data for each document, the electronic card being incommunication with the computer system which manages the personalizationdata at least some of this personalization data being recorded by thepersonalization station into the electronic chip of the identifieddocument.
 32. A personalization machine comprising: a personalizationstation for personalizable documents and a computer system, wherein eachpersonalizable document comprises an identifier representingidentification information, an electronic chip and a contactlesscommunication device connected to the electronic chip, the electronicchip and the communication device being incorporated in the document, areading device to read the identifier of the document, this identifierbeing associated with personalization data memorized in a database ofthe computer system, the reading device comprising a transmission deviceto transmit the identifier towards the computer system, the computersystem comprising means for extracting personalization data associatedwith the identifier from the database and communicating thesepersonalization data to an electronic card associated with apersonalization device in which the document is to be inserted, and forsending this data from the electronic card, the electronic cardcomprising means for transmitting the received personalization datatowards a memory of the electronic chip to be recorded.
 33. Apersonalization machine comprising: a personalization station forpersonalizable documents and a computer system, wherein eachpersonalizable document comprises plural pages, an identifierrepresenting an identification information, an electronic chip and acontactless communication device with a transmitting/receiving antennabeing connected to the electronic chip, the electronic chip and thecommunication device being incorporated in the document, sequencecommand and personalization management means, a reading device to readthe identifier of the document, this identifier being associated withpersonalization data memorized in a database of the computer system, atleast some of the personalization data being recorded by thepersonalization station into the electronic chip of the identifieddocument.
 34. A personalization machine comprising: a personalizationstation for personalizable documents and a computer system, wherein apersonalizable document comprises an identifier representing anidentification information, and electronic chip and a contactlesscommunication device connected to the electronic chip, the electronicchip and the communication device being incorporated in the document,wherein the personalization machine comprises a transfer device forpersonalizable documents, which comprises a transfer path on whichgrasping devices for documents are mounted, the grasping devices beingmounted at regular intervals in pairs, the maximum distance between twoconsecutive grasping devices allowing holding of a document; and whereinthe personalization machine comprises a reading device to read theidentifier of the document, this identifier being associated withpersonalization data memorized in a database of the computer system, atleast some of this personalization data being recorded by thepersonalization station into the electronic chip of the identifieddocument.
 35. A personalization process performed by a personalizationmachine comprising a personalizing device for a personalizable documentand a computer system including a database, the personalizable documentcomprising an identifier, and electronic chip and a contactlesscommunication device, said personalization device comprising: (a)reading the document identifier with a reading device and transmittingthe read information to the computer system, (b) searchingpersonalization data in a database of the computer system related toidentifier of the document, (c) loading personalization data relative tothe document identifier into a memory of an electronic card associatedwith the personalizing device for the document; and (d) communicatingthis personalization data to the electronic chip of a document via acontactless communication device to record this personalization datainto memory of the electronic chip with optional recording of theidentifier into the chip memory.